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Polity - stand alone
The Gabble And Other Stories
'What has six arms, a large beak, looks like a pyramid, has more eyes than you'd expect and talks nonsense? If you don't know the answer to that, then 1) you should and 2) you haven't been reading Neal Asher (see point 1)' Jon Courtenay Grimwood In the eight years since his first full-length novel Gridlinked was published by Pan Macmillan, Neal Asher has firmly established himself as one of the leading British writers of Science Fiction, and his novels are now translated in many languages. Most of his stories are set in a galactic future-scape called 'The Polity', and with this collection of marvellously inventive and action-packed short stories, he takes us further into the manifold diversities of that amazing universe. No one does monsters better than Neal Asher, so be prepared to revisit the lives and lifestyles of such favourites as the gabbleduck and the hooder, to savour alien poisons, the walking dead, the Sea of Death, and the putrefactor symbiont.
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 21, 2008
78 people are currently reading
916 people want to read
About the author
Neal Asher
149 books3,050 followersI’ve been an engineer, barman, skip lorry driver, coalman, boat window manufacturer, contract grass cutter and builder. Now I write science fiction books, and am slowly getting over the feeling that someone is going to find me out, and can call myself a writer without wincing and ducking my head. As professions go, I prefer this one: I don’t have to clock-in, change my clothes after work, nor scrub sensitive parts of my body with detergent. I think I’ll hang around.
Source: http://www.blogger.com/profile/139339...
Source: http://www.blogger.com/profile/139339...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
June 15, 2018
I decided to go all out and even read the short stories surrounding some of the memorable and unknown peeps in the connected universe that Neal Asher has made.
I mean, why not? He has a very engaging splatterpunk Hard-SF style with tons of great alien environments, interesting aliens, AIs, enormous constructs, ancient dead alien cultures, cyborgs, regenerative immortals, and more bullets and interesting ways to kill stuff than you can shake a railgun at.
These stories are all pretty fun. Of course, it's even more fun when you've been building up a corpus of his novels and can start pointing fingers and laughing at the in-jokes, and that's where I'm beginning to be. I'm no master yet, of course, but as I get closer, I tend to have a lot more fun.
Worldbuilding! Universe-building! And a few core characters that always show up.
It's NICE. :)
Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck - Re-introduction to the alien duck. Semi-sentient, funny, scary. :) I liked all the stories that had them. This includes Alien Archaeology and The Gabble, as well. Fascinating stuff! Devolved? A victim? Who knows?
Putrefactors was like a wild-west town with some horrible company secrets, enforcers, and angry locals. With horrible alien biology involved.
Garp and Geronamid was a very fun whodoneit involving a not-quite-dead corpse and an AI finding justice on a non-polity world. :)
Acephalous Dreams has the AI Geronamid in a very cool alien-tech (Jain) cautionary tale.
The Sea of Death, even though it has a pretty cool concept, kinda left me cold. Same is true for Adaptogenic. They seemed to have some promise, but I liked all the others much better.
Snow in the Desert was just fun and funny and was full of sex and a weird conspiracy. :)
Now, I can't really say whether this would be a good place to start with Asher's writings or not, but it definitely fills in a few gaps for me and whets my appetite for the rest. Definitely worth reading.
I mean, why not? He has a very engaging splatterpunk Hard-SF style with tons of great alien environments, interesting aliens, AIs, enormous constructs, ancient dead alien cultures, cyborgs, regenerative immortals, and more bullets and interesting ways to kill stuff than you can shake a railgun at.
These stories are all pretty fun. Of course, it's even more fun when you've been building up a corpus of his novels and can start pointing fingers and laughing at the in-jokes, and that's where I'm beginning to be. I'm no master yet, of course, but as I get closer, I tend to have a lot more fun.
Worldbuilding! Universe-building! And a few core characters that always show up.
It's NICE. :)
Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck - Re-introduction to the alien duck. Semi-sentient, funny, scary. :) I liked all the stories that had them. This includes Alien Archaeology and The Gabble, as well. Fascinating stuff! Devolved? A victim? Who knows?
Putrefactors was like a wild-west town with some horrible company secrets, enforcers, and angry locals. With horrible alien biology involved.
Garp and Geronamid was a very fun whodoneit involving a not-quite-dead corpse and an AI finding justice on a non-polity world. :)
Acephalous Dreams has the AI Geronamid in a very cool alien-tech (Jain) cautionary tale.
The Sea of Death, even though it has a pretty cool concept, kinda left me cold. Same is true for Adaptogenic. They seemed to have some promise, but I liked all the others much better.
Snow in the Desert was just fun and funny and was full of sex and a weird conspiracy. :)
Now, I can't really say whether this would be a good place to start with Asher's writings or not, but it definitely fills in a few gaps for me and whets my appetite for the rest. Definitely worth reading.
July 7, 2015
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2015/04/21/b...
The Gabble and Other Stories is a collection of short fiction set in the universe of the Polity series by Neal Asher. I’ve been curious about his books for a long time now, especially since his work has been described as being close to Splatterpunk, a sub-genre often characterized by its depiction of gory graphic violence, fast-paced action, and a tendency to push the boundaries especially in horror-themed sci-fi.
I was not disappointed! Indeed, The Gabble ended up being a lot of fun and I enjoyed a lot of the stories in here. Being an anthology, I also went with the assumption that this book would work well as a stand-alone read, and thus a good place to jump on board. I think for the most part my instinct was correct, though I do have more to add to this. I will go into the details below in my in-depth analysis of each story, but I did notice a couple trends in my overall experience:
1) My favorite stories tended to be shorter ones, while the longer novelettes are perhaps too steeped in the Polity lore for me to get into as easily.
2) If the main focus of a story is aliens or alien culture, there’s a good chance I loved it!
* * *
Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck – 4 of 5 stars
A pair of incestuous siblings hires a guide for a killer safari on the planet Myral in this adventure tale that ends in terror as a Gabbleduck appears through the mist and hunts them in return. Honestly, you couldn’t have found a better opener for this book of short stories. The Gabbleduck is of course the creature featured on the cover, a cool and scary looking thing with too many limbs and a duck-bill like mouth full of sharp teeth. Its comical appearance belies its deadly predatory tendencies, and should at once tell you the kind of weirdness you’re in for. Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck is a fantastic introduction to this anthology, to Neal Asher’s writing style, to his world of Polity, to the eponymous alien, and heck, just to everything! I wish more of the stories were like this one.
Putrefactors – 5 of 5 stars
A bounty arrives on a planet to kill his target and instead uncovers a corrupt plot that spells dire consequences for the colonists there. By the time he realizes he himself is caught up in the conspiracy’s net, it is too late. Hands down, this was my favorite story in this collection. It was totally awesome, featuring concepts that will leave you feeling disgusted and truly horrified. Not to mention, I will never look at the phrase “a good friend” the same way again.
Garp and Geronamid – 3 of 5 stars
Garp is a former policeman and a reification, a corpse kept alive through advanced tech because he simply could not stop doing his job even after his death. Geronamid is an AI, who in this particular story is implanted into a body of an allosaur. Yes, you read that right. An allosaur. Fascinating ideas in this very cool story, but the heavy involvement of things like politics and the underworld drug trade made this one harder for me to follow. It’s got some great twists and turns though, and a sensational finish.
The Sea of Death – 3 of 5 stars
Two characters discuss the millions of frozen sarcophagi found below the surface of Orbus, each filled with the remains of aliens that bear some resemblance to humans. This is one of the shorter stories in this collection and can truly be read as a standalone, albeit it is not very exciting and ends quite abruptly. Not bad, but with such an interesting premise, I’d hoped for a bit more.
Alien Archaeology – 2.5 of 5 stars
Another tale featuring the Gabbleduck, Alien Archaeology is a novella – and therefore the longest story in this collection – that greatly expands our understanding into the history of alien life on the many worlds of Polity. But what should have been an exciting plot and engaging experience instead left me feeling cold. I could barely keep myself focused while reading, and felt no connection to the characters. The title and some of the mildly cyberpunkish themes of the story intrigued me, as well as the idea that Gabbleducks are actually the “devolved” descendants of the Atheter race. But I just couldn’t get into it. I can definitely see someone who is more familiar with the Polity universe or Neal Asher’s work liking this one way more than I did, though.
Acephalous Dreams – 2.5 of 5 stars
Another story featuring the A.I. Geronamid. After the discovery of a Csorian node, a death row prisoner is offered the chance to clear his sentence if he agrees to test drive the device. Having a bit of alien brain implanted in your head versus execution…should have been an easy choice, right? This is another story that should have been awesome, but again it didn’t quite grab me. I liked it, but with such an ambitious plot, I think this one would have worked better given more pages to develop. I might have enjoyed it even more if it had been a full-length novel.
Snow in the Desert – 4 of 5 stars
Snow is an albino living in the desert…and everyone wants his balls. Literally! His unique DNA means that he has an exorbitant bounty placed on his testicles. While everyone is hunting him, Snow does what he can to survive the numerous attempts on his life as well as the dangerous conditions of his hot, arid planet. I really liked the crazy, over-the-top premise and nature of this offering. A fun and action-packed novelette.
Choudapt – 3.5 of 5 stars
Perhaps a cautionary tale into the dangers of mixing alien DNA just to gain an edge. We venture a little into horror territory here. Truly terrifying. Truly enjoyable. Don’t want say anything more than that for fear of spoilers.
Adaptogenic – 3 of 5 stars
It all began with an auction. Two relic hunters go searching for a missing piece of a puzzle, and their efforts land them on a strange planet at the worst time possible. An enjoyable yarn, but not the most memorable. I had to go back to the book to remind myself what happened because I hardly remembered the nitty-gritty details of it, especially since some of the better stories have already gone ahead and the bar to impress me now is set pretty high at this point. Not bad though, and I don’t remember disliking the story when I read it.
The Gabble – 4 of 5 stars
We end the same way as we began – with a Gabbleduck! Researchers want to uncover the secrets behind these mysterious and frightful beings. Like Alien Archaeology, this story reveals a little more about the history and connections between different species, especially when it comes to Gabbleducks and Hooders. The Gabble is a great closer for this collection, wrapping things up with a solid tale that ties together threads introduced in some of the previous stories in this book. It’s not an overly powerful or profound offering, but it cuts deeply all the same, making it an apt conclusion.
* * *
On the whole, this is a great collection. Like all anthologies, it has its ups and downs, i.e. some stories are better than others. I’m admittedly not a big reader of short fiction because I so often find stories to be too short (“I want more character development! More world building!”) or too long (“Wait, what’s going on? Am I supposed to understand this part? But I haven’t read the original series, there’s just too much I don’t know here!” etc., etc.) My experience with The Gabble was not so different, but I did enjoy myself more than I expected.
I think this is a decent place to start if you’re curious about Neal Asher’s work and want to give it a try, or if you want just a taste of what Polity has to offer before taking the full plunge. Being new to this universe, I have to say I was pretty impressed, and if you’re already familiar with Asher’s Polity series, you’ll probably enjoy it even more. My interest is certainly piqued; I might have to check out his other books now.
The Gabble and Other Stories is a collection of short fiction set in the universe of the Polity series by Neal Asher. I’ve been curious about his books for a long time now, especially since his work has been described as being close to Splatterpunk, a sub-genre often characterized by its depiction of gory graphic violence, fast-paced action, and a tendency to push the boundaries especially in horror-themed sci-fi.
I was not disappointed! Indeed, The Gabble ended up being a lot of fun and I enjoyed a lot of the stories in here. Being an anthology, I also went with the assumption that this book would work well as a stand-alone read, and thus a good place to jump on board. I think for the most part my instinct was correct, though I do have more to add to this. I will go into the details below in my in-depth analysis of each story, but I did notice a couple trends in my overall experience:
1) My favorite stories tended to be shorter ones, while the longer novelettes are perhaps too steeped in the Polity lore for me to get into as easily.
2) If the main focus of a story is aliens or alien culture, there’s a good chance I loved it!
* * *
Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck – 4 of 5 stars
A pair of incestuous siblings hires a guide for a killer safari on the planet Myral in this adventure tale that ends in terror as a Gabbleduck appears through the mist and hunts them in return. Honestly, you couldn’t have found a better opener for this book of short stories. The Gabbleduck is of course the creature featured on the cover, a cool and scary looking thing with too many limbs and a duck-bill like mouth full of sharp teeth. Its comical appearance belies its deadly predatory tendencies, and should at once tell you the kind of weirdness you’re in for. Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck is a fantastic introduction to this anthology, to Neal Asher’s writing style, to his world of Polity, to the eponymous alien, and heck, just to everything! I wish more of the stories were like this one.
Putrefactors – 5 of 5 stars
A bounty arrives on a planet to kill his target and instead uncovers a corrupt plot that spells dire consequences for the colonists there. By the time he realizes he himself is caught up in the conspiracy’s net, it is too late. Hands down, this was my favorite story in this collection. It was totally awesome, featuring concepts that will leave you feeling disgusted and truly horrified. Not to mention, I will never look at the phrase “a good friend” the same way again.
Garp and Geronamid – 3 of 5 stars
Garp is a former policeman and a reification, a corpse kept alive through advanced tech because he simply could not stop doing his job even after his death. Geronamid is an AI, who in this particular story is implanted into a body of an allosaur. Yes, you read that right. An allosaur. Fascinating ideas in this very cool story, but the heavy involvement of things like politics and the underworld drug trade made this one harder for me to follow. It’s got some great twists and turns though, and a sensational finish.
The Sea of Death – 3 of 5 stars
Two characters discuss the millions of frozen sarcophagi found below the surface of Orbus, each filled with the remains of aliens that bear some resemblance to humans. This is one of the shorter stories in this collection and can truly be read as a standalone, albeit it is not very exciting and ends quite abruptly. Not bad, but with such an interesting premise, I’d hoped for a bit more.
Alien Archaeology – 2.5 of 5 stars
Another tale featuring the Gabbleduck, Alien Archaeology is a novella – and therefore the longest story in this collection – that greatly expands our understanding into the history of alien life on the many worlds of Polity. But what should have been an exciting plot and engaging experience instead left me feeling cold. I could barely keep myself focused while reading, and felt no connection to the characters. The title and some of the mildly cyberpunkish themes of the story intrigued me, as well as the idea that Gabbleducks are actually the “devolved” descendants of the Atheter race. But I just couldn’t get into it. I can definitely see someone who is more familiar with the Polity universe or Neal Asher’s work liking this one way more than I did, though.
Acephalous Dreams – 2.5 of 5 stars
Another story featuring the A.I. Geronamid. After the discovery of a Csorian node, a death row prisoner is offered the chance to clear his sentence if he agrees to test drive the device. Having a bit of alien brain implanted in your head versus execution…should have been an easy choice, right? This is another story that should have been awesome, but again it didn’t quite grab me. I liked it, but with such an ambitious plot, I think this one would have worked better given more pages to develop. I might have enjoyed it even more if it had been a full-length novel.
Snow in the Desert – 4 of 5 stars
Snow is an albino living in the desert…and everyone wants his balls. Literally! His unique DNA means that he has an exorbitant bounty placed on his testicles. While everyone is hunting him, Snow does what he can to survive the numerous attempts on his life as well as the dangerous conditions of his hot, arid planet. I really liked the crazy, over-the-top premise and nature of this offering. A fun and action-packed novelette.
Choudapt – 3.5 of 5 stars
Perhaps a cautionary tale into the dangers of mixing alien DNA just to gain an edge. We venture a little into horror territory here. Truly terrifying. Truly enjoyable. Don’t want say anything more than that for fear of spoilers.
Adaptogenic – 3 of 5 stars
It all began with an auction. Two relic hunters go searching for a missing piece of a puzzle, and their efforts land them on a strange planet at the worst time possible. An enjoyable yarn, but not the most memorable. I had to go back to the book to remind myself what happened because I hardly remembered the nitty-gritty details of it, especially since some of the better stories have already gone ahead and the bar to impress me now is set pretty high at this point. Not bad though, and I don’t remember disliking the story when I read it.
The Gabble – 4 of 5 stars
We end the same way as we began – with a Gabbleduck! Researchers want to uncover the secrets behind these mysterious and frightful beings. Like Alien Archaeology, this story reveals a little more about the history and connections between different species, especially when it comes to Gabbleducks and Hooders. The Gabble is a great closer for this collection, wrapping things up with a solid tale that ties together threads introduced in some of the previous stories in this book. It’s not an overly powerful or profound offering, but it cuts deeply all the same, making it an apt conclusion.
* * *
On the whole, this is a great collection. Like all anthologies, it has its ups and downs, i.e. some stories are better than others. I’m admittedly not a big reader of short fiction because I so often find stories to be too short (“I want more character development! More world building!”) or too long (“Wait, what’s going on? Am I supposed to understand this part? But I haven’t read the original series, there’s just too much I don’t know here!” etc., etc.) My experience with The Gabble was not so different, but I did enjoy myself more than I expected.
I think this is a decent place to start if you’re curious about Neal Asher’s work and want to give it a try, or if you want just a taste of what Polity has to offer before taking the full plunge. Being new to this universe, I have to say I was pretty impressed, and if you’re already familiar with Asher’s Polity series, you’ll probably enjoy it even more. My interest is certainly piqued; I might have to check out his other books now.
April 28, 2022
Very good collection, all of Polity stories, 1994-2005.
Standout stories for me were
● "Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck" (2005), free reprint online at http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/asher... 4.5 stars
● "Snow in the Desert" (2002), also available as a $1 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Desert-Sh... 5 stars
There aren't any really weak stories here. Most feature Asher's formula of hard men (and women) in a violent far future. Specially recommended for Asher fans, and wouldn't be a bad place to start, if you've missed the series, or Asher.
Full TOC with links to publication details: http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?2...
Standout stories for me were
● "Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck" (2005), free reprint online at http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/asher... 4.5 stars
● "Snow in the Desert" (2002), also available as a $1 Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Desert-Sh... 5 stars
There aren't any really weak stories here. Most feature Asher's formula of hard men (and women) in a violent far future. Specially recommended for Asher fans, and wouldn't be a bad place to start, if you've missed the series, or Asher.
Full TOC with links to publication details: http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?2...
March 24, 2015
The stories in this collection:
Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck
Putrefactors
Gard and Geronamid
The Sea of Death
Alien Archeology
Acephalous Dreams
Snow in the Desert
Choudapt
Adaptogenic
The Gabble
First, look at that cover. The gabbleduck in all it magnificence. So cool.
While the ten stories all happen in and around the Polity, they are centered on the more exotic elements of Aher's world. From the mysterious gabbleduck, aliens ensconced in ice to albino immortals, the range and depth of Asher's imagination is incredible. Even the black AI Penny Royal makes an appearance.
With the exception of one or two, most of the stories are highly entertaining. Some of them, like Choudapt, go into the horror territory. While Polity Universe is diverse, often beautiful and awe inspiring, it still holds its share of terrors. Very enjoyable.
Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck
Putrefactors
Gard and Geronamid
The Sea of Death
Alien Archeology
Acephalous Dreams
Snow in the Desert
Choudapt
Adaptogenic
The Gabble
First, look at that cover. The gabbleduck in all it magnificence. So cool.
While the ten stories all happen in and around the Polity, they are centered on the more exotic elements of Aher's world. From the mysterious gabbleduck, aliens ensconced in ice to albino immortals, the range and depth of Asher's imagination is incredible. Even the black AI Penny Royal makes an appearance.
With the exception of one or two, most of the stories are highly entertaining. Some of them, like Choudapt, go into the horror territory. While Polity Universe is diverse, often beautiful and awe inspiring, it still holds its share of terrors. Very enjoyable.
September 22, 2021
Pribehy prevazne o Gabbleduckoch boli fajn, ale nechavaju vela otvorenych otazok - knizocka je teda peknou zbierkou poviedok pre zafarbenie sveta Polity, aj ked neprinasa rozhodujuce informacie.
December 16, 2015
Ten tales of the Polity from the entertaining Mr Asher.
I love Asher's futuristic hard men, weird monsters and chillingly pragmatic AI. This book serves up a dozen "short" stories set in his Polity universe (we say "short" because some of them scrape novella length). I'd like to grumble, his heroes are similar to one another (all super-tough killers, with the occasional journalist or researcher thrown in) but we just can't. Fact is, Asher's stories do have a fairly narrow range of themes to them, but who cares? It's brilliantly delivered. And there's a wealth of startlingly alien imagery to distract you besides. We'd be greedy to demand more, but, you know what, he delivers even this too. "Acephalous Dreams" and "The Sea of Death" are two tales in the collection that don't follow his usual "tough bastard solves mystery with extreme prejudice". The first is about a tough bastard murderer (it's not that relevant to the story) who is given the choice of being host to alien technology instead of being executed. The second is a short weird alien SF story. Did Imention Asher does good weird aliens too?
Three of the stories concern the alien oddities known as Gabbleducks (hence the title of the collection), a species that may be more than it appears to be. Asher's became fascinated by the creatures, and finally revealed their origins in The Technician.
I love Asher's futuristic hard men, weird monsters and chillingly pragmatic AI. This book serves up a dozen "short" stories set in his Polity universe (we say "short" because some of them scrape novella length). I'd like to grumble, his heroes are similar to one another (all super-tough killers, with the occasional journalist or researcher thrown in) but we just can't. Fact is, Asher's stories do have a fairly narrow range of themes to them, but who cares? It's brilliantly delivered. And there's a wealth of startlingly alien imagery to distract you besides. We'd be greedy to demand more, but, you know what, he delivers even this too. "Acephalous Dreams" and "The Sea of Death" are two tales in the collection that don't follow his usual "tough bastard solves mystery with extreme prejudice". The first is about a tough bastard murderer (it's not that relevant to the story) who is given the choice of being host to alien technology instead of being executed. The second is a short weird alien SF story. Did Imention Asher does good weird aliens too?
Three of the stories concern the alien oddities known as Gabbleducks (hence the title of the collection), a species that may be more than it appears to be. Asher's became fascinated by the creatures, and finally revealed their origins in The Technician.
Want to read
December 9, 2015After separately reading the short story, Snow in the Desert, included within, I picked up this book of short stories by Neal Asher, based in his Polity Universe, and though I do like the cover art of the edition I purchased, I prefer the cover below a bit more.
*Going to be a perfect read for when I swing back into reading Space Opera!
*Going to be a perfect read for when I swing back into reading Space Opera!
September 21, 2022
Gabbleduck for president!!!
A cool collection of short stories, that would probably be most enjoyed by sci-fi and hard-boiled fiction fans. Personally I enjoy the former from time to time, but am really not a fan of the latter.
I loved how biological the world building was in the stories / Asher's universe. The aliens are not only alien and menacing, but also somewhat funny, which I find to be a great combination. The heroes of the stories, however, reminded me of those hard-boiled tropes of extremely competent, but disillusioned men, facing threats of corruption, otherworldly mafias, attractive dangerous women and maybe something bigger than they expected! It's nicely done, only that I'm not such a big fan of the genre.
LOVED the gabbleduck, though.
A cool collection of short stories, that would probably be most enjoyed by sci-fi and hard-boiled fiction fans. Personally I enjoy the former from time to time, but am really not a fan of the latter.
I loved how biological the world building was in the stories / Asher's universe. The aliens are not only alien and menacing, but also somewhat funny, which I find to be a great combination. The heroes of the stories, however, reminded me of those hard-boiled tropes of extremely competent, but disillusioned men, facing threats of corruption, otherworldly mafias, attractive dangerous women and maybe something bigger than they expected! It's nicely done, only that I'm not such a big fan of the genre.
LOVED the gabbleduck, though.
September 19, 2020
A bunch of very enjoyable stories all set in the Polity universe, some provide added depth about things that feature prominently in the main books of the different series that are now available, while others are interesting fun reads that just provide general depth to the setting.
The author's short notes on each of the stories at the end helps elucidate some of that as well.
Not essential reading for Neal Asher fans, but certainly worth it.
The author's short notes on each of the stories at the end helps elucidate some of that as well.
Not essential reading for Neal Asher fans, but certainly worth it.
March 11, 2025
Now this is such an interesting take - using one otherwise minor plot elements of your other books to create various stories on that same otherwise minor element but just enough to make it worth your while. These stories are violent and gorey and a little bit frustrating at times because they are so short, but I've enjoyed the various point of views.
March 13, 2022
Spent most of the time reading thinking that this book portrays too complicated a universe.
I now realise that this universe is rich and diverse and I miss being in it.
I have other books by the same author. I will read them.
I now realise that this universe is rich and diverse and I miss being in it.
I have other books by the same author. I will read them.
August 3, 2012
This is a good addition to the set if you have read some previous Polity work, and not a totally bad place to start if you haven't. You'll soon get the idea that the Polity universe is huge and has to be absorbed and understood over several books or more.
This one reminded me that Asher does get a little carried away with his formula of cynical hero is deadly warrior who carries an incredibly deadly (sin gun, railgun, thin gun, etc. etc) in case he meets the incredibly deadly (hooder, gabble duck, hammer whelk, etc. etc.) In each story - or section in the novels - you know that strange alien things will get spattered by the dozens, and about ten humans will have their heads blown off or be cut in half. All under the watchful AI that is way, way smarter than anyone else involved - until we meet the next AI up the chain, which is even smarter. All this is for the teenage male readers who get a woody just reading about that sort of thing.
But behind it all is a more mature look at how various aliens and AIs might think and act, and how the more-or-less humans dealing with them might think and act. And a good bit of "suppose this existed; how would you deal with it?" That's what makes these books worth reading.
This one reminded me that Asher does get a little carried away with his formula of cynical hero is deadly warrior who carries an incredibly deadly (sin gun, railgun, thin gun, etc. etc) in case he meets the incredibly deadly (hooder, gabble duck, hammer whelk, etc. etc.) In each story - or section in the novels - you know that strange alien things will get spattered by the dozens, and about ten humans will have their heads blown off or be cut in half. All under the watchful AI that is way, way smarter than anyone else involved - until we meet the next AI up the chain, which is even smarter. All this is for the teenage male readers who get a woody just reading about that sort of thing.
But behind it all is a more mature look at how various aliens and AIs might think and act, and how the more-or-less humans dealing with them might think and act. And a good bit of "suppose this existed; how would you deal with it?" That's what makes these books worth reading.
June 14, 2013
I have to state up front that I love Neal Asher books so I knew I would enjoy this. In all honesty there are few others for whom I'd bother reading short story collections. I generally believe that short stories, if they are of any merit, will be developed into novellas and so what you have in a short story collection is ideas that didn't make the cut but where the author didn't quite want to bin them either. Is this the case with the Gabble? Yeah, sort of. Some of the stories here are little more than Vignettes, others have all the standard Asher excitement but then end too quickly. Is it worth the time? I would say so. As I say, I love Asher and I particularly enjoy the polity world he's created. He seems to be focusing on the excellent Owner series for the moment so if / when he ever returns to the Polity is yet to be seen. So after some heavy intellectual work with Accelerando by Charles Stross I wanted some fast paced easy reading that I knew I'd enjoy. It delivered in spades and soon I was back in the world of Gabbleducks, Jain and amusing AIs. If you like the polity and it's too soon to read the Cormac series again, this isn't a waste of your time.
November 28, 2018
alieni terrificanti e buffissimi, AI fuori controllo, antiche culture aliene estinte, BDO, cyborgs, immortali rigenerati, avventura a più non posso. più un pizzico di Banks e della Cultura, un pizzico di alastair reynolds per una mistura da sballo. molto divertente
January 3, 2010
I really like Asher's novels and the universe in which they are set, but his short-stories, although set in the same universe (and therefore in theory benefitting from all that background) are somehow unsatisfying. They feel... thin. A recurring problem is insufficient character development, in other cases not enough happens in the plot. I liked the book, but I'm not surprised that he didn't manage to sell his short stories until after his novels were successful.
July 6, 2011
I'm a huge Neal Asher fan girl so its really unfair of me to rate this book, when I pretty much love everything the man writes. I bow to his world building skills and I must say that "The Gabble and Other Stories" just impresses me all the more. There are several stories which hark back to his Spatterjay and Ian Cormac sagas, blending tech, biology, energy weapons and weird science into tales of betrayal, love, revenge and nobility. Truelly for Asher fans, this one is a must!!
July 26, 2012
As a collection of 13 short stories set in Neal Asher's Polity Universe, this is an excellent excuse for a break from reading a whole novel and keeping your fingers dipped into the realms of AIs, golems, Hooders, ECS agents, reifications, murder lice and of course, Gabbleducks.
A thoroughly enjoyable interlude and well recommended.
A thoroughly enjoyable interlude and well recommended.
June 8, 2015
A series of short stories set primarily in the Polity universe, I found them to not only be entertaining, but also informative on several fronts regarding detail of things in his novels which are not clearly spelled out otherwise. Aiding in this are a set of thumbnail blurbs for each tale which provide context. Anyone reading the Cormac tales will love these.
October 14, 2013
Mõnusaid lugusid on siin küllaga, aga Polity-huvilistele kohustuslik juba ainuüksi kolme gabbleducki loo pärast (Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck, Alien Archaeology ja The Gabble). Asher kontsentreeritud kujul, väga võimas.
November 18, 2017
Asher nikdy nezklame a ani tenhle výběr není výjimka. Jsou to nápadité povídky plné akce a sympatických oblud, přesně jak jsme u něj zvyklí.
Některé z povídek už jsem sice četl jinde, to ale nebylo na závadu, třeba "Sníh na poušti" jsem si rád připomněl.
Některé z povídek už jsem sice četl jinde, to ale nebylo na závadu, třeba "Sníh na poušti" jsem si rád připomněl.
May 31, 2021
I love Neal Asher. These stories contribute more depth to the very complex world building he does.
Read
December 21, 2022Neal Asher has an amazing imagination combined with a strong understanding of science and its potentials for evolution. Or at least that’s the impression that I’m left with after reading the tales that make up The Gabble and Other Stories.
The wonderful thing about this collection, unlike most, is that the stories share the same universe. So several elements are free to reappear like the Gabbleduck and the Gabble, along with AI and golems and several other unique, fascinating or amazing ideas.
This is my first exposure to both Neal Asher and the Polity Universe and it won’t be the last. He’s a talented storyteller that doesn’t let the science take away from the fiction he’s writing. He makes it a part of the plot and explains it such a way that it’s understandable and vital to the action and not dumbed down at all.
Take for example Choudapt where Simoz in on a mission to neutralise an act of terrorism. He has a symbiont that allows from some interesting semi-internal dialogue. It takes place in an organic environment where the buildings are alive. He combines the story and the environment so one can only happen with the other.
My favourite story is the sixth one, Acephalous, because it brings together the AIs that control the Polity, the golems, nanotech and information on the ancient races that has been teased at during other tales.
But saying that I’ve got a soft spot for the Gabbleduck after the revelations that come from The Gabble, which is a great bookend for the opening Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck, that hints that it has more intelligence or maybe that should be more humanity than is originally thought.
Adaptogenic would bring a new twist to The Antiques Roadshow. There really is too much to mention and going into too many details would spoil the revelations that come through the telling.
I get the feeling that Neal Asher likes the idea of genetics and evolution and the possibilities that science has and enjoys how that knowledge and exploration feeds his stories. He’s managed to weave some wonderful but also believable tales.
The danger of a collection is that there is going to be one or two dubs but I really can’t think of any that fell short of the mark. Each has their own take on the world as well as enhancing and informing each other.
I’m really looking forward to reading more Neal Asher and the Polity Universe.
The wonderful thing about this collection, unlike most, is that the stories share the same universe. So several elements are free to reappear like the Gabbleduck and the Gabble, along with AI and golems and several other unique, fascinating or amazing ideas.
This is my first exposure to both Neal Asher and the Polity Universe and it won’t be the last. He’s a talented storyteller that doesn’t let the science take away from the fiction he’s writing. He makes it a part of the plot and explains it such a way that it’s understandable and vital to the action and not dumbed down at all.
Take for example Choudapt where Simoz in on a mission to neutralise an act of terrorism. He has a symbiont that allows from some interesting semi-internal dialogue. It takes place in an organic environment where the buildings are alive. He combines the story and the environment so one can only happen with the other.
My favourite story is the sixth one, Acephalous, because it brings together the AIs that control the Polity, the golems, nanotech and information on the ancient races that has been teased at during other tales.
But saying that I’ve got a soft spot for the Gabbleduck after the revelations that come from The Gabble, which is a great bookend for the opening Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck, that hints that it has more intelligence or maybe that should be more humanity than is originally thought.
Adaptogenic would bring a new twist to The Antiques Roadshow. There really is too much to mention and going into too many details would spoil the revelations that come through the telling.
I get the feeling that Neal Asher likes the idea of genetics and evolution and the possibilities that science has and enjoys how that knowledge and exploration feeds his stories. He’s managed to weave some wonderful but also believable tales.
The danger of a collection is that there is going to be one or two dubs but I really can’t think of any that fell short of the mark. Each has their own take on the world as well as enhancing and informing each other.
I’m really looking forward to reading more Neal Asher and the Polity Universe.
November 28, 2017
Collection of stories set in the Polity, that introduces characters and history that are explored more fully in the novels. A high quality collection, and not a dud among them---
SOFTLY SPOKE THE GABBLEDUCK
Adventure story set on Masada, an encounter with the mysterious, ought-to-be-smarter-but-somehow-not gabbleduck.
PUTREFACTORS
Corporate assassin comes to planet where descendants of corporate-enslaved miners were once abandoned. Nefarious plot ensues.
GARP AND GERONAMID
What happens when a planet votes to join the Polity--drug trade and corruption routed. Shows how AI can still have their loves and wish for revenge.
THE SEA OF DEATH
Journalist making documentary on super-cold planet containing thousands upon thousands of alien coffins...
ALIEN ARCHAEOLOGY
The start of how the gabbleducks lead to the rise of the Atheter. A visit to Penny Royal's lair.
ACEPHALOUS DREAMS
Man commits a crime deliberately, and becomes seedbed for the return of the Csorians.
SNOW IN THE DESERT
An albino man is trailed by assassins in a planet completely devoid of native sources of water.
CHOUDAPT
Humans populate new worlds by gene-splicing with local flora. However, horrible things can happen when the alien genome wasn't properly vetted.
ADAPTOGENIC
How antique-ing for fun and profit can lead to hand-to-mouth survival via forced gene-splicing.
THE GABBLE
A linguist and an exobiologist (or whatever that studies alien animals) journeys toward a dead hooder and intuits a secret about hooders, gabbleducks, and the planet Masada. These two appear later in THE TECHNICIAN.
SOFTLY SPOKE THE GABBLEDUCK
Adventure story set on Masada, an encounter with the mysterious, ought-to-be-smarter-but-somehow-not gabbleduck.
PUTREFACTORS
Corporate assassin comes to planet where descendants of corporate-enslaved miners were once abandoned. Nefarious plot ensues.
GARP AND GERONAMID
What happens when a planet votes to join the Polity--drug trade and corruption routed. Shows how AI can still have their loves and wish for revenge.
THE SEA OF DEATH
Journalist making documentary on super-cold planet containing thousands upon thousands of alien coffins...
ALIEN ARCHAEOLOGY
The start of how the gabbleducks lead to the rise of the Atheter. A visit to Penny Royal's lair.
ACEPHALOUS DREAMS
Man commits a crime deliberately, and becomes seedbed for the return of the Csorians.
SNOW IN THE DESERT
An albino man is trailed by assassins in a planet completely devoid of native sources of water.
CHOUDAPT
Humans populate new worlds by gene-splicing with local flora. However, horrible things can happen when the alien genome wasn't properly vetted.
ADAPTOGENIC
How antique-ing for fun and profit can lead to hand-to-mouth survival via forced gene-splicing.
THE GABBLE
A linguist and an exobiologist (or whatever that studies alien animals) journeys toward a dead hooder and intuits a secret about hooders, gabbleducks, and the planet Masada. These two appear later in THE TECHNICIAN.
October 1, 2020
If you like Asher, and his Polity universe, this is a very good short story summary.
Some I like better than others, but I think that is always the case with short stories. This was also compiled before Asher started to care less about good editing and quality. So definitively a good read.
It includes:
Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck
Putrefactors
Garp and Geronamid
The Sea of Death
Alien Archaeology
Acephalous Dreams
Snow in the Desert
Choudapt
Adaptogenic
The Gabble
Asher, Neal. The Gabble - And Other Stories . Pan Macmillan. Kindle Edition.
The 'main' story, "Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck" was published by Clarkesworld Magazine (clarkesworld.com) and is available as as free podcast episode there. < That's not a reason not to buy the book!
Ancephalous Dreams is available as free podcast on escapepod.com.
Some I like better than others, but I think that is always the case with short stories. This was also compiled before Asher started to care less about good editing and quality. So definitively a good read.
It includes:
Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck
Putrefactors
Garp and Geronamid
The Sea of Death
Alien Archaeology
Acephalous Dreams
Snow in the Desert
Choudapt
Adaptogenic
The Gabble
Asher, Neal. The Gabble - And Other Stories . Pan Macmillan. Kindle Edition.
The 'main' story, "Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck" was published by Clarkesworld Magazine (clarkesworld.com) and is available as as free podcast episode there. < That's not a reason not to buy the book!
Ancephalous Dreams is available as free podcast on escapepod.com.
May 25, 2022
Recenziu pre Fandom.sk napísala Ena:
Asher ponúka jednoliaty súzvuk príbehov a postáv, ktoré nimi prechádzajú. Stretávajú a zamotávajú sa navzájom vo svojich vlastných, aj spoločných osudoch a zápletkách. Tu nikto nie je zbytočný a nič nezvyšuje. Čitateľ môže len s očarením sledovať, ako autor buduje svoje príbehy a ako nám pred očami ožívajú fantastické obrazy. Vo vytváraní nebezpečných príšer, ľudských aj iných kreatúr či planét s ich faunou a flórou je Asher priam neprekonateľný. Napriek tomu, že na opisy veľký dôraz nekladie, jeho bytosti vám budú pobehovať pred očami ako živé...
Celú recenziu nájdete na Fandom.sk https://www.fandom.sk/clanok/recenzia...
Asher ponúka jednoliaty súzvuk príbehov a postáv, ktoré nimi prechádzajú. Stretávajú a zamotávajú sa navzájom vo svojich vlastných, aj spoločných osudoch a zápletkách. Tu nikto nie je zbytočný a nič nezvyšuje. Čitateľ môže len s očarením sledovať, ako autor buduje svoje príbehy a ako nám pred očami ožívajú fantastické obrazy. Vo vytváraní nebezpečných príšer, ľudských aj iných kreatúr či planét s ich faunou a flórou je Asher priam neprekonateľný. Napriek tomu, že na opisy veľký dôraz nekladie, jeho bytosti vám budú pobehovať pred očami ako živé...
Celú recenziu nájdete na Fandom.sk https://www.fandom.sk/clanok/recenzia...
November 24, 2018
have you acquired a taste for Neal Asher yet? if you love sf, you will. he specializes in dense but compulsively readable adventures set in a dark but inexhaustibly inventive far-future that seems to have arisen out of combining an Edward Lear sensibility with hard science and a positively viral imagination. this volume consists of ten essential stories that shed much light on some of the larger questions of this universe, including the nature of the biotech human extremadapts, the intrigues of various AIs, and the finer points of the language and xenobiology of the proscribed world Masala and those mysterious gabbleducks.
June 1, 2019
"The Gabble: And Other Stories" is a collection of short stories, some of them focused on the super interesting fauna of Masada (Gabbleducks, Heroynes, Hooders, etc) and the search for their origins. I really enjoyed reading these stories, and I recommend readers to pick this book right after "The Line of Polity", where the author introduces Planet Masada and its unique fauna. Some of the stories had only been published once, in article format (which means I'd probably never had found them.) Of note: Neal Asher gave me a chuckle when he mentioned his mother used to call him a "Gabbleduck" when he was misbehaving as a child. :)
April 22, 2021
Tato kniha je jednou z mála, kterou jsem začal číst jenom díky skvělého názvu na obálce. Řekl jsem si, že blábol prostě přečíst musím. Podle mého názoru autor tuto knihu, potažmo povídky v ní, psal dlouhé léta a samozřejmě na povídkách to zanechalo stopy. Zatímco prví dvě povídky mě moc nebraly, další už jsem hltal. U poslední povídky jsem měl pocit, že autor dospěl a povídka měla úplně jiný rytmus a pointu. Taky je dost dobře možné, že autor se u prvních dvou povídek jen rozehříval a pak už se rozjel naplno. Za mě tedy pokud jste schopni překousnout trochou nudnější první dvě povídky nebo je rovnou přeskočit (ale to by byla určitě chyba), tak se klidně pusťte do čtení.
July 6, 2024
This collection of short stories really hit the sweet spot for me. Most are long enough to feel like one has had a decent reading session and while none of theme are exactly interconnected, at the end of the day I was left with a much stronger picture of Asher's universe than a previously had. Multiple planets, multiple types of people and aliens and all.
It is very hard to rate a story collections; some you always like more than others, after all. I have given a short spiel on the individual stories and how I enjoyed them (or not) over on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/brDCNyUwijo
It is very hard to rate a story collections; some you always like more than others, after all. I have given a short spiel on the individual stories and how I enjoyed them (or not) over on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/brDCNyUwijo
August 22, 2017
Collection of short stories in the polity universe.
I'm a bit torn on it.
Some of the stories are great, other feel a bit unfinished and one would like for them to continue. Worth reading if you are into the polity universe, not the right thing as a first book to read by Asher.
On a side note, escapepod have Ancephalous Dreams as free very well read audio podcast: http://escapepod.org/2008/01/04/ep139...
I'm a bit torn on it.
Some of the stories are great, other feel a bit unfinished and one would like for them to continue. Worth reading if you are into the polity universe, not the right thing as a first book to read by Asher.
On a side note, escapepod have Ancephalous Dreams as free very well read audio podcast: http://escapepod.org/2008/01/04/ep139...
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